Hypopituitarism is a rare disorder that’s caused when the pituitary gland is underactive. Underactivity may mean the gland doesn’t produce one or more hormones, or it doesn’t produce enough hormones. The change in hormone levels can cause a wide range of symptoms, depending on which hormone is deficient.
The pituitary gland is part of your endocrine system. It includes all the glands that produce and regulate hormones. This small gland at the base of your brain, behind your nose, influences almost every function of your body by controlling the production and release of most hormones. Pituitary hormones regulate growth, blood pressure, reproduction and many other bodily functions.
The most common cause is a pituitary gland tumor. As the tumor grows, it can compress and damage the gland, and cause problems with hormone production.
It can be caused by many other health problems, including:
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Symptoms are more common when there’s a reduction in several hormones at the same time. Deficiency of just one hormone is rarer.
Initially you may not notice any symptoms because they develop slowly. Symptoms worsen over time. A few patients develop symptoms suddenly.
Symptoms caused by a pituitary tumor can include:
Specific symptoms depend on which hormones are affected and how much they’re affected.
The hypothalamus produces hormones and nerve impulses that control the pituitary gland. If tumors affect the hypothalamus, it may not produce enough hormones. If your hypothalamus is causing hypopituitarism, you may have problems with appetite control, leading to obesity.
Diagnosis begins by measuring blood levels of the pituitary gland hormones, and levels of hormones produced by the organs suspected of being deficient. Because the pituitary gland stimulates other glands, it can cause a deficiency of hormones produced by other glands. If several glands are underactive, hypopituitarism is often the cause.
After a hypopituitarism diagnosis is made, the pituitary gland is evaluated with an MRI or CT to look for structural problems. These can include abnormal tissue growth, or enlargement or shrinkage of the pituitary gland.
Treatment may be surgical removal of pituitary tumors, and replacing the hormones that are in short supply. Replacing hormones will stop or lessen your symptoms.
Treatment focuses on both correcting the reason why the pituitary gland is not producing sufficient hormones, and on replacing hormones that are deficient.
What are common treatments for hypopituitarism?
The most common cause is a tumor. Surgical removal of pituitary tumor(s) is the most common treatment, followed by supplementation of the hormones that are insufficient. Surgery can also reduce or eliminate pressure symptoms such as vision problems.
Radiation therapy may be used to destroy any remaining tumor cells that couldn’t be removed with surgery. Radiation treatment usually slows the normal functioning of the pituitary gland. Your doctor will want you to have your pituitary gland evaluated regularly for at least 10 years after treatment.
Most likely you will need to take synthetic hormones to compensate for the glands that aren’t producing enough hormones.
Call for an appointment today with the specialists at Inland Endocrine to learn about your treatment options.
Medically reviewed by:
Dr. Seigel is a board certified Endocrinologist. He completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at the University Of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 2011 and 2013.
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